Hello? Hi.

28

Noah: what??

Noah: What do you mean you can't breathe?

Noah: Aden?

Missed call from Noah

Noah: Aden, answer the phone!

Noah: Now!

Noah is calling

Aden answers

"Hello? Aden?"

"Noah," Aden says softly, hiccuping tears.

"Aden, what happened? Where are you?"

"I can't get up," Aden says. Noah can barely understand him in between grunts and hiccups.

"Aden, where are you? Answer me!"

"My father beat me up. I'm at 4% on my phone and I can't get up."

Noah knew there was something suspicious about Aden never speaking of his family.

"Give me your address, I'm going to pick you up. You're going to be okay."

Aden gives Noah his address. Noah cringed at the thought that it was pretty far, but he was going to try to get there as fast as possible. Luckily, he was just out of work and getting to the car now. Noah picked up his pace, holding the phone to his ear tightly with his left hand.

"I don't want to be here Noah."

"Don't worry baby, I'm going to be there soon. I'm already in the car. I'm on the road." Noah said as he started the car and imminently started driving, not going through his usual checking of his car mirrors and adjusting of his car seat.

"You live a whole city away."

"You've got to trust me."

"You live in Manchester. I live in Liverpool."

"Aden."

"And we've only ever been texting for a month and we've only skyped once."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes damn in. I trust you." Aden said, not believing how impetuous he was being. 

"If I drive well enough, I'll get there in an hour or less. Are you safe until then? Is anybody else there?"

"I can survive an hour but Noah, my phone won't last for much longer and I don't want to stop talking. I don't want to be alone. I'm in so much pain." Aden whimpered, tears falling onto his screen. He didn't even care. 3%.

"I'm going to be right there. Don't worry. Close your eyes until I get there. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Hurry." Aden's voice was so faint and in pain, Noah almost wasn't able to catch it.

"I will," Noah said. "Don't w-" There was no answer. The call ended. Aden's battery died.

Noah took a deep breath in. "I'm insane." He said to himself, he was risking a lot right now. He drove as quickly as he could, beeping at every slow and clueless driver. There were a lot more now then he remembered there ever being. With his small, black Fiat, he could maneuver between streets and it made him feel so clever. It distracted him from the fear that Liverpool was an hour away. He wasn't even thinking about the fact that this could all be a nefarious prank to get him right into a wicked person's hands. He believed in Aden a little too much and as he drove down the highway, he started planning the different ways he could barge into the house since Aden himself wouldn't be able to open the door. Even being the anxious person he was, it was a bit hard to overthink social situations when you were driving so fast and wishing a great deal.